Consumption and habits : evidence from panel data

The purpose of this paper is to test for the presence of habit formation in consumption decisions using household panel data. We use the test proposed by Meghir and Weber (1996) and estimate the within -period marginal rate of substitution between commodities, which is robust to the presence of liquidity constraints. To that end, we use a Spanish panel data set in which households are observed up to eight consecutive quarters. This temporal dimension is crucial, since it allows us to take into account time invariant unobserved heterogeneity across households ("fixed effects") and, therefore, to investigate if the relationship between current and past consumption reflects habits or heterogeneity. Our results conf irm the importance of accounting for fixed effects when analyzing intertemporal consumption decisions allowing for time non-separabilities. Once fixed effects are controlled for and a proper set of instruments is used, the results yield supporting evidence of habit formation in the demand system of food at home, transport and services

Unobserved Heterogeneity and Intertemporal Nonseparability: Evidence from Consumption Panel Data

In this paper we analyze the importance of intertemporal non-separabilities for consumption decisions using household data. We follow the test suggested by Meghir and Weber (1996), so we exploit the variability of the within-period marginal rate of substitution (MRS) between commodities. We also check for the presence of liquidity constraints by comparing the results obtained from theMRS to those of the Euler equations. For that purpose, we use a Spanish data set in which households are observed up to eight consecutive quarters. This length of the temporal dimension is crucial, since it allows both to account for the dynamics of consumption in the preferences as well as to control for time invariant unobserved heterogeneity across households. Our results confirm the importance of accounting for fixed effects when analyzing intertemporal consumption decisions allowing for time non-separabilities. Once we control for fixed effects and use the adequate set of instruments we do not find evidence of misspecification and the results yield supporting evidence of habit formation.Consumption, panel data, unobserved heterogeneity, habits, durability

CONSUMPTION AND HABITS: EVIDENCE FROM PANEL DATA

The purpose of this paper is to test for the presence of habit formation in consumption decisions using household panel data. We use the test proposed by Meghir and Weber (1996) and estimate the within -period marginal rate of substitution between commodities, which is robust to the presence of liquidity constraints. To that end, we use a Spanish panel data set in which households are observed up to eight consecutive quarters. This temporal dimension is crucial, since it allows us to take into account time invariant unobserved heterogeneity across households (“fixed effects”) and, therefore, to investigate if the relationship between current and past consumption reflects habits or heterogeneity. Our results conf irm the importance of accounting for fixed effects when analyzing intertemporal consumption decisions allowing for time non-separabilities. Once fixed effects are controlled for and a proper set of instruments is used, the results yield supporting evidence of habit formation in the demand system of food at home, transport and services.

Diseño de un proyecto de investigación básico

Nos proponemos que los estudiantes entren en contacto con las actividades de investigación y que, de manera autónoma, aunque guiados por el profesor, encuentren la respuesta a una pregunta mediante el desarrollo del método científico, haciendo uso también de unos procedimientos básicos para la elaboración de un proyecto de investigación.We propose that the students come in contact with the activities of research and that, in an autonomous manner, while guided by the professor, to find the answer to a question through the development of the scientific method, by using a few basic procedures for the preparation of a research project

Algunos datos nuevos sobre las relaciones Iglesia-Estado durante la Segunda República Española. Documentación inédita del Nuncio Tedeschini en el Archivo Secreto Vaticano

Se pretende mostrar la importancia que para el estudio y la investigación de las relaciones entre la Iglesia católica y la Segunda República tendrán los fondos puestos a consulta recientemente en el Archivo Secreto Vaticano. Se han seleccionado dos momentos de especial trascendencia. En primer lugar, la proclamación de la Segunda República. Los telegramas cifrados cruzados ente la Secretaría de Estado y Tedeschini, aportan datos no conocidos y de bastante relieve. En segundo lugar la aprobación por las Cortes, del que habría de ser el artículo 26 de la Constitución de 1931. En un extenso informe (que se transcribe íntegramente) el Nuncio Tedeschini relata cómo fueron los acontecimientos. Los testimonios históricos sobre la existencia (Alcalá-Zamora) o no (Azaña) de un acuerdo entre el Gobierno provisional y la jerarquía eclesiástica, eran contradictorios. Este nuevo testimonio corrobora su existencia: el Nuncio no duda en hablar de traición, refiriéndose en especial a Azaña. ------ It aims to show the importance of the collections recently available in the Vatican Secret Archive for the study and investigation of the relations between the Catholic Church and the Second Republic. Two moments of special transcendence have been selected. First is the proclamation of the Second Republic. The encoded telegrams exchanged between tge Secretary of State and Tedeschini offer unknown data of quite relevance. Second is the approval by the 'Cortes', of which the article 26 of the Constitution of 1931 would have been. In an extensive report (which is transcribed completely), Nuncio Tedeschini relates how the events were. The historical testimonies about the existence (Alcalá-Zamora) or non-existence (Azaña) of an agreement between the provisional government and the ecclesiastical hierarchy were contradictories. This new testimony corroborates its existence: the Nuncio does not doubt in speaking about betrayal, specially referring to Azaña

Osteoporosis Idiopática Juvenil: (a propósito de un caso)

Presentamos un caso de osteporosis idiopática juvenil. Se trata de una niña de ll años que debuta con un aplastamiento de T4 tras un traumatismo mínimo y que posteriormente, con el corsé de Milwaukee puesto, desarrolla múltiples aplastamientos vertebrales. Efectuan una revisión de la literatura sobre la etiopatogenia, diagnóstico diferencial y pronóstico de esta rar a forma de osteporosis.The authors showed a case of idiopathic juvenil e Osteoporosis, a girl 11 year s old than started with a wedge fracture of T4 after a minimal trauma. Although she wor e a Milwauke e brace, develope s multiples lewe l vertebral wedges. They made a review of the literature about the etiopathogenia differential diagnosis and prognosis of this rare form of osteoporosis

Ethanol exerts dual effects on calcium homeostasis in CCK-8-stimulated mouse pancreatic acinar cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A significant percentage of patients with pancreatitis often presents a history of excessive alcohol consumption. Nevertheless, the patho-physiological effect of ethanol on pancreatitis remains poorly understood. In the present study, we have investigated the early effects of acute ethanol exposure on CCK-8-evoked Ca²⁺signals in mouse pancreatic acinar cells. Changes in [Ca²⁺]_iand ROS production were analyzed employing fluorescence techniques after loading cells with fura-2 or CM-H₂DCFDA, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ethanol, in the concentration range from 1 to 50 mM, evoked an oscillatory pattern in [Ca²⁺]_i. In addition, ethanol evoked reactive oxygen species generation (ROS) production. Stimulation of cells with 1 nM or 20 pM CCK-8, respectively led to a transient change and oscillations in [Ca²⁺]_i. In the presence of ethanol a transformation of 20 pM CCK-8-evoked physiological oscillations into a single transient increase in [Ca²⁺]_iin the majority of cells was observed. Whereas, in response to 1 nM CCK-8, the total Ca²⁺mobilization was significantly increased by ethanol pre-treatment. Preincubation of cells with 1 mM 4-MP, an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, or 10 μM of the antioxidant cinnamtannin B-1, reverted the effect of ethanol on total Ca²⁺mobilization evoked by 1 nM CCK-8. Cinnamtannin B-1 blocked ethanol-evoked ROS production.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>ethanol may lead, either directly or through ROS generation, to an over stimulation of pancreatic acinar cells in response to CCK-8, resulting in a higher Ca²⁺mobilization compared to normal conditions. The actions of ethanol on CCK-8-stimulation of cells create a situation potentially leading to Ca²⁺overload, which is a common pathological precursor that mediates pancreatitis.</p

Effects of Environmental Traits and Landscape Management on the Biodiversity of Saproxylic Beetles in Mediterranean Oak Forests

This study assesses the effects of environmental traits and landscape management on the biodiversity of saproxylic beetles from “dehesas” located in Sierra Morena Mountains (Córdoba, Southern Iberian Peninsula). The dehesa is an open savanna-like landscape with mature/old trees scattered on a pasture cover where both living and dead wood are of great importance for the maintenance of macroinvertebrate fauna. The study was carried out in five plots, with different environmental features and management. A total of 137 branches belonging to the four main tree species present in the area were collected, classified, and kept under four different thermal conditions. From January to June 2019, the adult emergences were followed. A total of 466 saproxylic specimens of 31 species were obtained, 5 of them included in red lists of protected fauna. Two Bostrichidae species (Lichenophanes numida Lesne and Scobicia pustulata Fab.) and two Cerambycidae (Chlorophorus ruficornis Oliv. and Trichoferus fasciculatus Faldermann) are included in the “European Red List of Saproxylic Beetles”; and the Clerid Tillus ibericus Bahillo de la Puebla, López–Colón and García–Paris, is included in the “Red Book of Invertebrate of Andalucía”. Differences were observed regarding the diversity and abundance among the plots and among the tree species from which the beetles emerged. Simple regression analyses revealed negative relationships between tree density/Buprestidae, livestock/Bostrichidae, and land use/Cerambycidae. Multivariant logistic regression analysis did not find significant relationships among environmental traits and saproxylic diversity. Results confirmed that dry wood was a main resource for the maintenance dehesas’ biodiversity because it constitutes an ecological niche exploited by a significant set of saproxylic beetles belonging to the Bostrichidae, Buprestidae, and Cerambycidae families, in addition to other guilds of species, mainly Carabidae and Cleridae, which feed on the above-mentioned groups. Our results also support that increasing environmental temperature accelerates the development of Buprestidae, but this effect was not evident for the Bostrichidae species

FKBP52 is involved in the regulation of SOCE channels in the human platelets and MEG 01 cells

AbstractImmunophilins are FK506-binding proteins that have been involved in the regulation of calcium homeostasis, either by modulating Ca2+ channels located in the plasma membrane or in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RE). We have investigated whether immunophilins would participate in the regulation of stored-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in human platelets and MEG 01. Both cell types were loaded with fura-2 for determining cytosolic calcium concentration changes ([Ca2+]c), or stimulated and fixed to evaluate the protein interaction profile by performing immunoprecipitation and western blotting. We have found that incubation of platelets with FK506 increases Ca2+ mobilization. Thapsigargin (TG)-evoked, Thr-evoked SOCE and TG-evoked Mn2+ entry resulted in significant reduction by treatment of platelets with immunophilin antagonists. We confirmed by immunoprecipitation that immunophilins interact with transient receptor potential channel 1 (TRPC1) and Orai1 in human platelets. FK506 and rapamycin reduced the association between TRPC1 and Orai1 with FK506 binding protein (52) (FKBP52) in human platelets, and between TRPC1 and the type II IP3R, which association is known to be crucial for the maintenance of SOCE in human platelets. FKBP52 role in SOCE activation was confirmed by silencing FKBP52 using SiRNA FKBP52 in MEG 01 as demonstrated by single cell configuration imaging technique. TRPC1 silencing and depletion of cell of TRPC1 and FKBP52 simultaneously, impair activation of SOCE evoked by TG in MEG 01. Finally, in MEG 01 incubated with FK506 we observed a reduction in TRPC1/FKBP52 coupling, and similarly, FKBP52 silencing reduced the association between IP3R type II and TRPC1 during SOCE. All together, these results demonstrate that immunophilins participate in the regulation of SOCE in human platelets